Arch Intern Med
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Low-molecular-weight heparin vs heparin in the treatment of patients with pulmonary embolism. American-Canadian Thrombosis Study Group.
Pulmonary embolism (PE) occurs in 50% or more of patients with proximal deep-vein thrombosis. Low-molecular-weight heparin treatment is effective and safe in patients with deep vein thrombosis and may also be so in patients with PE. Recent rigorous clinical trials have established objective criteria for determining a high probability of PE by perfusion lung scanning. ⋯ Low-molecular-weight heparin administered once daily subcutaneously was no less effective and probably more effective than use of dose-adjusted intravenous unfractionated heparin for preventing recurrent venous thromboembolism in patients with PE and associated proximal deep vein thrombosis. Our findings extend the use of low-molecular-weight heparin without anticoagulant monitoring to patients with submassive PE.
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Meta Analysis Comparative Study
A meta-analysis comparing low-molecular-weight heparins with unfractionated heparin in the treatment of venous thromboembolism: examining some unanswered questions regarding location of treatment, product type, and dosing frequency.
To compare the efficacy and safety of unfractionated heparin (UFH) and low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWHs) and to examine current controversies in the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) (ie, setting, product type, and frequency of administration). ⋯ Low-molecular-weight heparins are at least as effective as UFH in preventing recurrent VTE. It is unlikely that LMWHs are superior in the treatment of VTE, but they do show a statistically significant decrease in total mortality. No differences were seen in the development of recurrent VTE dependent on treatment setting. There were no apparent differences between once-daily and twice-daily therapy or among products. Inpatient therapy may be associated with less major bleeding; therefore, if LMWHs are given in the outpatient setting, patients should be rigorously monitored.
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To address whether St John's wort is useful for the treatment of depression we attempted to retrieve all English-language articles with data on the efficacy, safety, and availability of St John's wort. Randomized, controlled, double-blind trials were selected and assessed for methodological quality using a standardized checklist, and data on pharmacology, cost, regulation, and safety were extracted. Eight studies were identified, found to be of generally good methodological quality, and determined to provide a modest amount of data to suggest that St John's wort is more effective than placebo in the treatment of mild to moderate depression. ⋯ More data are required to assess both its use in severe depression and its efficacy compared with other antidepressants. Rates of side effects were low. As a dietary supplement, St John's wort is currently largely unregulated, but the Food and Drug Administration is reviewing plans to tighten its regulatory oversight.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Overlapping conditions among patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and temporomandibular disorder.
Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), and temporomandibular disorder (TMD) share many clinical illness features such as myalgia, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and impairment in ability to perform activities of daily living as a consequence of these symptoms. A growing literature suggests that a variety of comorbid illnesses also may commonly coexist in these patients, including irritable bowel syndrome, chronic tension-type headache, and interstitial cystitis. ⋯ This study provides preliminary evidence that patients with CFS, FM, and TMD share key symptoms. It also is apparent that other localized and systemic conditions may frequently co-occur with CFS, FM, and TMD. Future research that seeks to identify the temporal relationships and other pathophysiologic mechanism(s) linking CFS, FM, and TMD will likely advance our understanding and treatment of these chronic, recurrent conditions.
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Congestive heart failure (CHF) is increasing as a public health problem in the United States. The ability to quantify this problem has been limited by a lack of data regarding the validity of CHF identification. ⋯ Reliance on ICD codes results in the exclusion of one third of the patients with clinical evidence of acute CHF. This underenumeration is compounded by the typical reliance on the first listed diagnosis. Congestive heart failure may be a greater public health problem than currently recognized. The allocation of resources for relevant surveillance, research, medical care, and preventive efforts should be reevaluated.